C-Section Birth Stories: Ellie Johnson

1. Please share the circumstances that led to your c-section birth(s):

On May 11, 2020, I was 36 weeks & 5 days along. At 7 am my water prematurely broke while I was semi-awake. Luckily, I caught my husband in time as he was heading out for work. I called labor & delivery (L & D) and they told me to come in. We got to the hospital and I had to check-in and be in triage by myself due to COVID-19. After confirming my water broke, I had to get two tests for COVID and wait until they came back negative. I wasn’t contracting at this point so I felt fine. After an hour or so, I got the green light and my husband joined me in the L & D room. I was "Group B unknown" so I had to get penicillin and they also recommended putting me on Pitocin because I wasn’t contracting. Hesitantly, I agreed to get it around 3 PM. Around 5 PM, I was having stronger contractions and even felt something shift and something very uncomfortable happening in my pelvis. I figured it was just my son's positioning. I asked for morphine and got that hooked up. It took the edge off but I was still uncomfortable. By 7 PM I agreed to get an epidural, which took 3 attempts (ouch) and I was very relieved that it worked the third try. They turned me on my side and my chest started feeling really uncomfortable and it was hard to breathe. The doctor decided to check me. I was only 4 centimeters dilated. All I could see were her eyes widen and her words were “I just gave your baby a handshake”. All the nurses were shocked and wanted to see. Mortified, I felt defeated knowing at that moment, I had to face my biggest fear since COVID happened & that was being in the operating room (OR) by myself and having a cesarean. I started bawling and my husband held my hand, reassuring me that I was strong and this was the healthiest option for the baby and me. We kissed goodbye and I was in the OR. I was so medicated, my mind was all over the place, and being by myself wasn’t comforting either. Getting that anesthesia put me over the top of drug land and during the surgery I asked the nurses if I was ok because I had no clue what was happening. At 9 PM, I saw my precious boy over the cover and cried as I listened to his beautiful cries. I got to do a cheek-on-cheek and had to say bye to him while he did skin-to-skin with my husband in the room down the hall. I never felt so alone in that moment. I just cried and prayed that I was going to be okay. When I was done, I was having bad side effects from the drugs, so I was shaking uncontrollably and spiked a high fever. However, I’ll never forget getting wheeled back to the L&D room seeing my two loves waiting for me.

Healing was tough because I think of myself as a pretty strong and independent woman. Not being able to do the bare minimum was so hard, like standing up by myself. Praying, crying, mental check in’s every day with my husband, walks, and baby snuggles helped me process everything that happened and helped me heal. I know God has a plan and it’s funny because now my son will forever hear the story of being famous in that hospital that night for trying to dive out.

2. What surprised you the most about having a c-section?:

What surprised me most was how immobile I was because of the pain. I’ve always heard a cesarean is painful but I truly didn’t know the pain until it happened to me. Also, how simple of a surgery is it to doctors. They do them all the time and while it was scary for me to go through it, it was comforting knowing they knew what to do.

3. What kind of support do you feel you received (from friends, family, healthcare team) after your c-section(s)?:

With COVID, the doctor suggested for us not to see family/friends so it was just my husband and me the first couple of weeks. It. Was. So. Hard! My husband is amazing and did everything from cooking, cleaning, helping me shower, helping me up, and was an incredible supporter.

4. What’s your #1 piece of advice/encouragement for a new c-section mom?:

You are stronger than you think and feel. Even if you may feel like you failed your dream birth story, you did what you had to do to keep yourself and your baby healthy. Also, you will recover even though at first it doesn’t feel like it.

5. How do you believe having a c-section birth(s) made you stronger?:

I naturally am a person who lives in worry and fear and I think that because I faced my biggest fear of having a major surgery alone makes me feel strong and that I can get through anything in life. Also, that God was there with me and I truly am never alone.

Name: Ellie Johnson

Your Profession: Stay-at-home Momma

How to Connect With You on Social Media: @elliedjohnson on Instagram